Month: April 2014

Test Wednesday

Third day of test week. I went to the 5pm for a change today to workout with Brent and a different crew.

Warm-up

  • Air Squats
  • Star Jumps
  • Arm Circles
  • Zombie Kicks

1RM Front Squat

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 3×185#
  • 2×225#
  • 1×265#
  • 1×285#
  • 1×305#
  • Fx320#

Damn! Wish I had done 315#. Got stuck not far above parallel and had to dump it. 305# was no problem.

MAX 45# Barbell Curls in 1:30

It was ring dips, but all of other stuff from this week has aggravated the shoulder a bit. Managed to get either 36 or 39, so I guess I’ll say 36.

MAX V-ups in 2:00

We were also supposed to start with a max effort set. I did 27 to start and 50 total. Hips just shot by the end. Couldn’t even lift my legs.

1,000m Row

I rowed 3:25.3 in February, so was shooting for close to 3:20. My goal was to keep my pace at 1:40-1:42 until the last 100-150m and then give it everything left. I managed to hold that until I got inside 400m to go and then it was a battle. Ended up with a 3:21.7, so almost a 4 second PR. We were absolutely destroyed after that.

Test Tuesday

My low back has never been so sore. Has to mostly be from the deadlifts on Sunday, but I don’t think the middle portion of that back squat PR yesterday helped either.

Warm-up

  • Foam-rolled my back
  • Rocket Ships
  • Arm Circles
  • Zombie Kicks

Cleans

  • 45# Positions
  • 115#
  • 155#
  • 185#
  • 205#
  • 225# (Switched to power cleans)
  • 235#
  • 245# (PR)

I haven’t worked on my cleans since the pretzel incident so I’m not mentally ready to go chasing a full clean PR, but the 245# power clean felt good. My feet didn’t even have to go super wide to receive it, which often happens with a heavy power clean. Wasn’t expecting that lift going into today.

2:00 of Pendlay Rows

I did 29×135#. The test was for muscle-ups but I can’t do those with my shoulder.

2 Mile Run

I was really hoping to be somewhere close to 14:00, which is lofty goal for a first run of the year and carrying this much weight on my frame. I ran 15:58. Yuck!

MAX Broad Jump

We got 3 attempts. I went 108.5″ and then got 115.75″ on the next two.

Test Week

We’re doing a shit ton of tests this week. I’m already sore from getting back after it the last couple of days.

Warm-up

  • High Knees
  • Butt Kicks
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Shoulder Stretching
  • Bottom Squat Hold

Back Squat 1RM

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 3×205#
  • 2×275#
  • 1×295#
  • 1×315#
  • 1×335#
  • 1×350# (PR)

Yeah!! Smoked 335# so much easier than I did on Saturday.

Strict press was up next, but I took extra time with my squatting since I can’t do anything overhead. 25 minutes is not enough time to max out in 2 lifts.

MAX Ring Rows in 1:30

Can’t do C2B pull-ups, so I did ring rows instead. Got 26. I still suck at these.

MAX HR Push-ups in 1:30

Did 39 of them. I should start hammering a lot of HR push-ups each week to help with chest size and tricep strength.

500m Row

My PR was a 1:34.4 so I tried to keep around a 1:35 or less early on, then started to kick it in with 150m left. Pulled off a 1:32.2 for a PR by over 2 seconds. Keeps getting better, but after that one I know I can go harder out of the gate next time.

Conditioning

Supposed to be a 1/2 “Cindy” but no pull-ups for me.

10:00 AMRAP

  • 5 Pendlay Rows (95#)
  • 10 C2D Push-ups
  • 15 Air Squats

I did 9 rounds plus 5 rows, 10 push-ups, and 4 squats.

My weight is up to the heaviest I’ve ever been, at 202.5# this morning. Starting a body fat challenge today and I measured at 15.4% on the device at the gym. I think I have a bit of an unfair advantage after gaining 8# in a week on vacation. I’ll be able to drop back to 195# in less than 2 weeks.

Back Felt Good with Deadlifts

Went over to Survival Fitness Bay City for open gym at 4. Legs are sore from getting back into squatting.

Warm-up

  • Bottom Squat Holds
  • 3×20 Band Pulls (red)
  • Various stretching

3 Position Snatch Deadlifts

Did some reps with 65#, 95#, 135#, and 185#. Getting better with the positions. If I keep at it, hopefully it’ll be automatic when I can get back to the lifts.

Strength

Deadlifts

  • 5×185#
  • 5×225#
  • 5×275#
  • 5×315#
  • 5×335#
  • 5×365#
  • E2M 10:00 – 3×365#

Felt good. No issues with my back.

Front Squats

  • 5×135#
  • 5:00 EMOM – 5×185#

Might as well call it a metcon! I was out of breath and had a nice sweat worked up.

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 400m Run
  • 15 Burpee Box Jumps (24″)

I really need to work on some running intervals. First run felt good, but when my heart rate shoots up I just can’t hold a pace. Was able to speed through the last round of burpee box jumps at a good pace though. Finished in 14:25.

I walked 400m to cool down and took a few more minutes of rest.

300 DU – Took me 6:13! Not very good.

Back (Squatting) in The Saddle

Was looking forward to hitting a workout today. The rest in Costa Rica felt great, especially with a couple of massages. Kevin came over and squatted with me in the garage around 5 and then I did some conditioning.

Warm-up

  • Bottom Squat Holds
  • Stretching
  • 10 Good Mornings (45#)

Back Squats

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×185#
  • 3×225#
  • 2×255#
  • 1×285#
  • 1×305#
  • 1×320#
  • 1×335#
  • 5×255#
  • 5×275#

Was thinking about trying to hit a PR today, but the pop just wasting there after not really firing the muscles in a week. The 335# was rough and only 5# shy of matching my PR, so maybe I’ll give it a go in a week.

Conditioning

10:00 AMRAP

  • 50 DU
  • 10 GHD Sit-ups (to parallel)

Knocked out the first round in under a minute, even with a trip after 1 DU, but did the next 49 unbroken. Started to struggle with the dubs in the middle rounds, but got myself to relax and slow down, then they flowed much smoother in the last few minutes. Finished exactly 7 rounds.

I rested 5 minutes or so.

10:00 Air Dyne (AD2) @ 80%

I felt like 70-75 rpm (I was steadily holding a 72 when the RPMs came around on the screen) was a good spot to be, but according to the 265 calories I racked up, it was about 75% of my PR for ten minutes. Worked up a good sweat though.

2014 CrossFit Games Open Results

14.5 still gives me nightmares. I’ve never dreaded a workout as much as I did going into that one.

When all is said and done I finished 13,737/80,281 for top 17.1% of men worldwide. That’s an improvement over 9,251/46,227 (20%) in 2013 and 16,389/22,174 (73.9%) in 2012. Since I haven’t been able to train shoulders in over a month, was recovering from some low back (disc) issues for the first few weeks of the Open, and was sick for 14.1, I couldn’t be happier. With the injuries, I set my goal to beat the top 20% finish of 2013 and I did that with room to spare.

This year’s Open was the toughest of the 3 by far and there were almost 4 times as many men as when I first competed in 2012. I’m stronger and more fit than I’ve even been in my life.

I had a great week of rest and relaxation in Costa Rica, but can’t wait to hit it today and get back after it. Plan to keep resting the shoulder though until it’s fully healed.

Costa Rica Tuesday

Went for a long walk on the beach yesterday afternoon, but that’s about it the last two days. Weather us beautiful here!

Was up early this morning and went for a 30 minute run of about 2.5 miles. Really hilly in this area.

After a post-lunch nap I hit the fitness center. Did 30:00 of bike hill intervals with a 5:00 cool down. I also did 5 rounds of 1:00 plank with 1:00 rest between. Need to do long planks more often because 30 seconds ain’t shit; the benefits come after you start shaking.